.........from whence we came and to whom we owe so much---

 Grandpa Anders Andersson Åström (1854-1943), the 4th of 9 children of Anders Mårtensson-Elizabeth Johansdötter of  Åsjön,Bydeä Våsterbötten lan, Sweden, worked as a drang (farmhand), moving to Norrliden, Degerförs (Vindeln) on November 3, 1883 on to Sofors in Bygdeå Parish, Sweden, marrying Sophia Johansdötter. Of 3 children born in Sweden, only 1 survived. They hear glowing reports of life in Amerika.
    Anders left Sweden to join his brothers in Dakota Territory in 1889 with wife Sophia, daughter Hilma, mother Elizabeth, and stepfather, Anders Burman. The journey from Goteborg to Hull, England took 2 days. After docking, emigrants went by train to the west coast of England (Liverpool) where they boarded a big ocean ship, SS Adriatic for New York. In 1888, the fee for a second class ticket was 105 Swedish crownes ($10).  All but Burman debarked; apparently not surviving.
    They arrived in Salem on the 4th of July, 1889 to find the land all gone, brother John about to re-emigrate to Cuba & brother Nils about to head west to the Missouri River where the last homestead lands remained.   With all the local homestead lands gone, Anders signed an IOU to buy a farm homesteaded by early arrivals. (See map -- NE S18, T104, R53, Ramsey.) He lost his wife in childbith and of a dozen children, only 3 survived, Hilma who married Ole Bratmoe; Arvid who in 1913 married Blanche Wicklund and Mayme who in 1919 married Ben Howe. All were once farmers NE of Salem, SD
    Grandpa Anderson, as he was affectionately know around Salem, was a fearsome Model-T driver; he aligned  radiator cap with the center line of the road to travel to Mitchell to fish bullheads in the Jim River. Armed with magnifying glass he was an avid reader of Old Country newspapers. By the time of WW1, he'd  visited California, brother Carl Åstöm in Sweden and  Cuba where his brother John died.
   The 3 children, 8 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren & their many offspring  of these emigrant ancestors are saluted for their many sacrifices: Mayme Howe, Laurel Howe, Laurita Howe Kvenberg, Michael Kvenberg, Rachael Kvenberg Roth, Kristin Roth, David Howe, Elisabeth Howe, Daniel Howe, Barry Howe, Dina Howe Mittan, Sharie Howe, Lyle Howe, Rebecca Howe Nelson,  Todd Nelson, Haley Nelson, Denton Howe, Shannon Howe, Andrew Howe, Merland Howe, Debra Kay Howe Ness,  Robert Ness, Philip Ness, Alicia Mae Ness, Donald Ray Howe, Erick James Howe, Kristin Anne Howe, Donna Marie Howe Meinerts, Jesse Mark Meinerts, Kieth Richard Meinerts, Shannon Marie Meinerts,Hilma Bratmoe, Baby Bratmoe, Arthur Andersson Åström, John Andersson Åström, Arvid Anderson, Vincent Anderson, Richard Anderson, Patricia Anderson, Frances Verda Anderson, Maynard Anderson, Dennis Anderson, Donald Anderson, Bruce Anderson, Carol Anderson, Allan Anderson, Daniel Anderson, David Anderson, Travis Anderson, Teresa Anderson, et. al.